The barn owl is a well known and polar farmland bird which is now unfortunately a much less common sight over large areas of the British countryside than earlier this century. It is largely active at dawn and dusk when it feeds on small mammals, especially voles. It is found in rough grasslands and countryside that is not farmed too intensively. It roosts in trees and buildings and lays eggs in cavities in trees, in barns and other draught-free buildings.

The barn owl is widespread across the UK . The highest densities of barn owls (of 10-30 pairs per 100 square kilometres) have been recorded in parts of the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, Cornwall , mid-Devon, Suffolk , Norfolk , Hampshire and Sussex .

There is much published work which suggest that there has been a serious decline of this species on a national basis over the last 50 years or so. In that period it's population declined by over 50%. The main factors included in the decline are thought to include loss of habitat due to the intensification of farming, poisoning by pesticides, persecution and high mortality in severe winters. Since the mid-1970s, however, both breeding success and survival rates have increased. At the same time levels of residues in barn owl corpses of organochloride pesticides used in farming have declined. This suggests that at least part of the population decline was due to pesticide poisoning and there is the potential for a population recovery as organochloride pesticides are now used less frequently. A recent estimate put the British breeding population of barn owls at about 4-5,000 pairs.

In Victorian times the barn owl was considered to be the commonest owl in the Durham area and in the 1930s there was an estimated 150 pairs. By 1985 this figure had declined to an estimated 18 pairs. There is some evidence of a stabilisation in numbers since them or even a slight recovery in recent years, but his may be as a result of a build up of more detailed information. There have undoubtedly been losses of barn owls in some areas of Durham during the last two decades although small concentrations of birds remain in some stronghold areas. The barn owl is more common than was widely realised prior to a survey carried out in 1992. This work indicated a population of 35 to 40 pairs. Despite further information coming to hand since which suggests that birds are still being found in areas previously thought unoccupied, there is not yet adequate evidence to suggest that this estimate should be re-assessed.

Recent survey work carried out in 1992 has considerably increased knowledge of the local status of the barn owl. This survey, the County Durham Barn Owl Enquiry, was carried out by Durham Bird Club and Tyne and Wear Museums Service. Since then there are indications that barn owls occur in areas previously thought to be unoccupied; there is considerable scope for more survey. Recently some small scale monitoring work of some local populations and the maintenance of a County Durham Barn Owl database has been undertaken by the local Barn Owl Conservation Network Advisor for the Hawk and Owl Trust.

The distribution of the barn owl locally might be summarised as �sparse but widespread�. Despite its widely dispersed nature, nowhere in the species present at high densities. However there are stronghold areas with small concentrations of birds. The main distribution in the local area spreads from around Durham City , eastwards to the coast, with a pocket of birds in the north west and scattered pairs to the south and east of Durham . There is a particularly good stronghold in Gateshead , where there are between six and eight occupied territories. The barn owl effectively avoids the western uplands, there being few reliable reports in that area over the1988-1993 period.

The threats to this species are well-documented and considerable. All of the threats listed below may have contributed to the species' long-term decline in Durham , recent recoveries perhaps being attributable to the milder winters of the late 1980s and 1990s.

Loss of suitable habitat where barn owls can feed, because of intensification of farming.

Loss of suitable nest sites, due to the re-development of farm buildings and the decline in the number of hedgerow trees.

Increased deaths of barn owls from road accidents.

Poisoning by pesticides used in farming. This is known to have suppressed breeding performance in barn owls.

Harsh winter weather.

Areas of rough grassland rich in small mammals. The barn owl feeds mostly on the short-tailed field vole (Microtus agrestis), but also takes common shrew, wood mouse and brown rat with occasional bats, moles, rabbits, weasels, birds and amphibians. The amount taken of these other species in inversely proportional to the numbers of field voles taken.

Management to improve grassland for small mammals. Field voles occur in their highest densities in grassland that has not been recently mown or heavily grazed and which is long enough therefore for their movement through the grass to be concealed. Voles also prefer pasture with a mixture of grass and herb species rather than a rye-grass monoculture. Ideally large areas of such habitat should be maintained for barn owls, but strips of grassland along the edge of woodland, ditches or field boundaries are suitable. The Barn Owl Trust have produced a series of information leaflets on barn owl conservation issues, including the management of grassland for barn owls. Landowners wishing to assist the conservation of the barn owl can improve habitat available for them through set-aside and schemes such as Countryside Stewardship. The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group can provide advice on the management and creation of semi-natural habitat for barn owls under such schemes and advise on the grants that may be available.

The availability of undisturbed roost and nest sites. Safe nesting sites, ideally in crevices in old trees or in draught-free buildings are required for successful breeding. In areas where there is plenty of suitable barn owl habitat but a lack of natural nest sites, the provision of nest boxes or entrances into suitable buildings can increase or help to establish a breeding population.

Armstrong A. L. (1988-1996) Birds in Durham Durham Bird Club

Barn Owl Trust (1995) Barn Owls on Site � A Guide for Developers and Planners

Bowey K. (1993) The Barn Owl in County Durham ; its history and current status Vasculum Vol. 78 No. 3 p.51-63

Gibbons D. W., Reid J. B. and Chapman R. A. (1993) New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland : 1988-1991 Poyser: London

English Nature (1995) Species Conservation Handbook. Birds 16. Barn owl conservation and the role of captive-bred releases Peterborough

Firbank L. G. et al. (1993) Managing set-aside for wildlife ITE Research Publication No. 7

Marchant J. H., Hudson R., Carter S. P. and Whittington P. (1990) Population Trends in British Breeding Birds BTO/NCC: Tring

Ogilvie M. and The Rare Breeding Birds Panel (1998) Rare Breeding Birds in the UK in 1995 British Birds 91 p.417-447

Osborne P. (1989) The management of set-aside land for birds: a practical guide RSPB, Sandy

Shawyer C. R. (1987) The Barn Owl in the British Isles . Its Past, Present and Future The Hawk and Owl Trust, London

Taylor I. (1994) Barn Owls: Predator-prey Relationships and Conservation Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Westerberg S. and Bowey K. (1998) The summer Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Durham Durham Bird Club

Williams G. (1997) Bird Species of Conservation Concern in the United Kingdom , Channel Islands and Isle of Man : revising the Red Data List RSPB Conservation Review 1996 10 p.7-18

Durham Bird Club

Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group

Hawk and Owl Trust (Local Barn Owl Conservation Network Advisor)

Barn Owl Trust

GUIDE TO ABBREVIATIONS USED IN ACTIONS CHART OVERLEAF: